History of Propane
In 1910, a Pittsburgh motor car owner walked into chemist Dr. Walter Snelling's office, complaining that the gallon of gasoline he had purchased was half a gallon by the time he got home. He thought the government should look into why consumers were being cheated because the gasoline was evaporating at a rapid and expensive rate. Dr. Snelling took up the challenge and discovered the evaporating gases were propane, butane and other hydrocarbons.
Using coils from an old hot water heater and other miscellaneous pieces of laboratory equipment he could find, Dr. Snelling built a still that could separate the gasoline into its liquid and gaseous components.
By 1912, propane gas was cooking food in the home. The first car powered by propane ran in 1913, and by 1915 propane was being used in torches to cut through metal. Propane was marketed for flame cutting and cooking applications by 1920.
In 1927, the total sales of propane in the U. S. were more than one million gallons, and after World War II the propane gas annual sales increased to more than 15 billion gallons.
By the 1930s, the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) established and proposed a set of recommendations to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In 1932, the first pamphlet of standards (No. 58) was adopted for publication.
When Dr. Snelling sold his propane patent to Frank Phillips, the founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, his price was $50,000. Today, propane gas is an $8 billion industry in the United States alone and it is still growing.
What is Propane
Propane, or liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas), is one of the nation's most versatile sources of energy and supplies 3 to 4 percent of our total energy. Propane is an approved, alternative clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as well as the National Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Propane can be either a liquid or a gas. At normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, it is a non-toxic, colorless and odorless gas. Just like natural gas, an identifying odor is added so it can be readily detected. Under moderate pressure, propane becomes a liquid that vaporizes into a clean-burning gas when released from its storage container. Propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than a gas, making it economical to store and transport as a liquid.
As opposed to relying on foreign sources, approximately 90 percent of the United States propane supply is produced domestically. Seventy percent of the remaining supply is imported from Canada and Mexico. Natural gas production accounts for 53 percent of our domestic propane supply, while 47 percent is produced from the refining of crude oil.
Propane is called a fossil fuel because it is composed of the remains of plants and animals that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago.
For years, families and business located on the gas main have counted on clean, dependable natural gas for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying.
Even if you're located in an area where natural gas service is not available, you can still enjoy the benefits of gas with propane - also known as "bottled gas."
Preserving Our Environment
By using propane gas in place of less environmentally friendly fuels, you can address such pressing issues as acid rain, the "greenhouse effect," urban smog, and the thinning ozone layer in a very tangible way.
With propane's simple molecular composition, propane-fueled vehicles emit significantly lower levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides than gasoline-fueled vehicles. The level of air toxics emissions from propane-fueled vehicles is also low.
Propane also plays a key role in the on-going effort to preserve our environment by conserving energy. Most of the electricity in the United States is produced by burning coal. However, only 35% of the millions of tons of coal burned annually to generate elcetricity is converted into electricity. More energy, about another five percent, is wasted when electric power is distributued to customers. The bottom line is that users of electricity are left holding the bill for the 70% of energy resources that never gets to them.
In addition, burning coal to generate electricity annually releases millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Unlike fuel oil, which emits 17% more carbon dioxide than gas appliances, propane is clean burning.
If you are deciding about the future with an existing underground storage tank (UST), it might be helpful for you to know that because propane is non-toxic and does not get into the water table, it is exempt from the Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) regulations. In fact, the EPA recommends that water suppliers switch from petroleum to safer fuels like natural gas or propane. The EPA does have stringent regulations on oil and gasoline USTs.
By using propane gas instead of electricity, we can cut these emissions in half and help preserve our environment for future generations.
In 1910, a Pittsburgh motor car owner walked into chemist Dr. Walter Snelling's office, complaining that the gallon of gasoline he had purchased was half a gallon by the time he got home. He thought the government should look into why consumers were being cheated because the gasoline was evaporating at a rapid and expensive rate. Dr. Snelling took up the challenge and discovered the evaporating gases were propane, butane and other hydrocarbons.
Using coils from an old hot water heater and other miscellaneous pieces of laboratory equipment he could find, Dr. Snelling built a still that could separate the gasoline into its liquid and gaseous components.
By 1912, propane gas was cooking food in the home. The first car powered by propane ran in 1913, and by 1915 propane was being used in torches to cut through metal. Propane was marketed for flame cutting and cooking applications by 1920.
In 1927, the total sales of propane in the U. S. were more than one million gallons, and after World War II the propane gas annual sales increased to more than 15 billion gallons.
By the 1930s, the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) established and proposed a set of recommendations to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In 1932, the first pamphlet of standards (No. 58) was adopted for publication.
When Dr. Snelling sold his propane patent to Frank Phillips, the founder of Phillips Petroleum Company, his price was $50,000. Today, propane gas is an $8 billion industry in the United States alone and it is still growing.
What is Propane
Propane, or liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas), is one of the nation's most versatile sources of energy and supplies 3 to 4 percent of our total energy. Propane is an approved, alternative clean fuel listed in the 1990 Clean Air Act as well as the National Energy Policy Act of 1992.
Propane can be either a liquid or a gas. At normal atmospheric pressure and temperature, it is a non-toxic, colorless and odorless gas. Just like natural gas, an identifying odor is added so it can be readily detected. Under moderate pressure, propane becomes a liquid that vaporizes into a clean-burning gas when released from its storage container. Propane is 270 times more compact as a liquid than a gas, making it economical to store and transport as a liquid.
As opposed to relying on foreign sources, approximately 90 percent of the United States propane supply is produced domestically. Seventy percent of the remaining supply is imported from Canada and Mexico. Natural gas production accounts for 53 percent of our domestic propane supply, while 47 percent is produced from the refining of crude oil.
Propane is called a fossil fuel because it is composed of the remains of plants and animals that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago.
For years, families and business located on the gas main have counted on clean, dependable natural gas for heating, water heating, cooking and clothes drying.
Even if you're located in an area where natural gas service is not available, you can still enjoy the benefits of gas with propane - also known as "bottled gas."
Preserving Our Environment
By using propane gas in place of less environmentally friendly fuels, you can address such pressing issues as acid rain, the "greenhouse effect," urban smog, and the thinning ozone layer in a very tangible way.
With propane's simple molecular composition, propane-fueled vehicles emit significantly lower levels of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides than gasoline-fueled vehicles. The level of air toxics emissions from propane-fueled vehicles is also low.
Propane also plays a key role in the on-going effort to preserve our environment by conserving energy. Most of the electricity in the United States is produced by burning coal. However, only 35% of the millions of tons of coal burned annually to generate elcetricity is converted into electricity. More energy, about another five percent, is wasted when electric power is distributued to customers. The bottom line is that users of electricity are left holding the bill for the 70% of energy resources that never gets to them.
In addition, burning coal to generate electricity annually releases millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Unlike fuel oil, which emits 17% more carbon dioxide than gas appliances, propane is clean burning.
If you are deciding about the future with an existing underground storage tank (UST), it might be helpful for you to know that because propane is non-toxic and does not get into the water table, it is exempt from the Department of Environmental Protection (EPA) regulations. In fact, the EPA recommends that water suppliers switch from petroleum to safer fuels like natural gas or propane. The EPA does have stringent regulations on oil and gasoline USTs.
By using propane gas instead of electricity, we can cut these emissions in half and help preserve our environment for future generations.